Bandana's, Brushes and Hats
by Mutyasha
Summary: "During one of Usopp's stories, Kaya noticed something about the village-prankster and wondered what he would look like without his bandana, or what it would be like to touch his unruly hair..." Summary above is misleading: this has far more stuff than I intended it to have. It has stories and letters and brushing and slowburn-romance and - too much. Still, try to read, perhaps?
1. A Story for the Girl

**A/N:** At the top because I don't like post-story AN's anymore.

This idea bubbled to the surface of my overactive imagination one day (quite a while ago I suddenly notice o_O), but I can't seem to finish it. Right now I'm about 4 paragraphs and a dialogue into the second part, but seeing as my writing-style (or whatever it is that we can call my seemingly unproductive and incessant typing) is _loooooooong_ paragraphs with few mono- or dialogues...

And then I wonder: "Is this what they call a writer's block?"

Anyway, if you decide to read the text beneath the bold line: I hope you'll enjoy it, and if you're willing, tell me what you think about it. Maybe it'll jump-start my fingers into typing more (I hope so!).

**Bandana's, Brushes and Hats  
><strong>_Written: January 11 and 12_  
><em>Edit: January 15, February 25<em>

_First part: A Story for the Girl_

"...But then the little things noticed I had actually saved them from both the fall and the tigerlion, and they started chirping happily again, getting off of my hand and hopping on my shoulders. If I hadn't lost my hat during the fight, they would've started nesting on it!"

Happy laughter filled the air, soon joined by the chuckles of the storyteller. "Real-...ly, Usopp-s-san? Did those- small birds really w-walk all over you?" Kaya asked, laughing and stuttering all the while.

"They did! My arms, my shoulders, they even tried climbing my hair! Of course, at the age of 6 it wasn't that long yet, and they had been _far_ more interested in my hat anyway," the long-nosed boy said, grinning as he leaned back on the tree-branch. "For you see, Stone-coloured Chitterbirds don't actually make new nests every time they want to lay eggs. It's much too difficult to make a new, safe nest that's both big and soft enough for their young on the cliffs: it takes years to get enough material from the other islands! So they just go back to the nest they grew up in and change it to their own liking. Why, as I climbed up that stony wall to find their nest, I saw nests as big as a bush!"

"No way!" Kaya cried, eyes wide and a smile on her face.

"I did! And others were so soft, they looked like little clouds! All nests are unique, so I was just waiting for my little group to recognize their own. When the chitterbirds on my shoulders noticed I was trying to find their nest, they just sat down and waited silently. They kept silent the whole way back up the cliff, all six hundred feet, and when we reached the top and I pulled myself up, they were all hustled together, making very sad noises. I think the wind that made them fall down had also ripped their home from the stones," he said, actually making himself feel sad with the tale.

"Oh no, those poor things." Even if she knew the story wasn't true, it was a sad thing to hear.

Usopp nodded, crossing his arms. "That's what I thought. At first I wanted to take the birds with me on my ship, but they were so small I was afraid I would lose them during my adventures. On the other hand, they didn't have anywhere to live anymore, so I couldn't just leave them either..."

"So what did you do? Did you take them with you anyway?"

"No," he said with a small grin, "I remembered something."

She saw the spark in his eyes, and smiled as she recognised it as one where he was about to tell her something great. "Remembered what?"

His grin widened. "My hat."

Queue confused blinking. "But didn't the tigerlynx knock it off your head?"

"Tiger_lion_," Usopp corrected after a moment. "And yes, he did. But the wind had blown it straight into the eerie little forest on top of the cliff. So as I kept the chicks with me to keep them safe, I searched my hat in the trees. I found it in this reeaally big tree in the middle of the forest, almost reaching the clouds! That's also when I realised why the island looked like it was made from two different parts from afar: it was actually a gigantic tree on top of a high cliff!"

Kaya's eyes sparkled with wonder and she was once again amazed by Usopp's ability to create stories like this one.

"As I stared up the giant tree, I spotted my hat, stuck on the third branch. Mind you, it was a _really_ big tree, so the third branch was as high as two hundred feet!"

"So high! And on top of that cliff too!" she gasped, getting into the story as much as Usopp was.

"I know! But I climbed it anyway, using only the bark of the tree. When I got my hat back, I climbed back down again and walked along the edge of the cliff, looking for the spot the chitterbirds had their nest before it was blown away. When I found it, I climbed down to it and fastened my hat into the small niche. The chicks were practically dancing in the air when they saw that!"

"That's so sweet of you Usopp-san," she said, smiling as she saw a bit of pink coming to his cheeks. "But didn't you tell me once that a captain's hat is his pride and joy on the seas?"

"It is!" he quickly defended, turning back, "but a hat can be replaced easily. Their nest was destroyed, and making a new one would take months at the very least! They had been quite taken with it anyway, so I just gave it to them. There was one small problem though..."

"What? Please tell me!"

Usopp smiled at her enthusiasm. "Chitterbirds are very small, and while some enjoy having large nests, they all want it to be warm, soft and strong enough to raise the young ones on the windy cliffs. Luckily, my hat was made out of leather. It was already very soft where they sat, but it was also slightly large. When a breeze came into the niche, they were shivering in their fluff."

"The poor things..." she muttered, putting her hands over her mouth.

Usopp nodded grimly. "They could've frozen to death if I hadn't helped them."

"What did you do?"

Now he grinned again, jabbing a thumb in his chest. "As a pirate, I usually only wore very light clothing so I wouldn't be hindered when fighting, but I always wore a bandana made of several feet of soft cotton to keep my hat in place. So I also took off my bandana, put it in my upturned hat and arranged it just like a comfortable nest should be!"

Now Kaya was smiling happily again. Usopp really could be so kind, even if it was in his stories.

"The birds were so happy they danced all over again, twittering to no end. It was such a nice sight I almost wanted to stay. But a pirate will always be a pirate, so I soon said my goodbyes to them and climbed back down to my ship, waving as I sailed off. They saw me off for about twenty feet down the cliff, then I convinced them to go back: the wind made them fall once, a second time could be the last. They were sad off course, but they kept chirping happily, even as they saw me sailing away."

She sighed happily, smiling at the nice end. "You really are a kind person, Usopp-san, even though you say you're a pirate."

"Of course I am a pirate! Giants shiver in their skin when they hear of the Great Captain Usopp!" he told heatedly, pumping his fist in the air.

Laughing again. She always felt so at ease with the long-nosed teenager, she barely noticed she was sick. His stories always gave her an almost carefree feeling, the thought that someone could walk in and try to catch Usopp only giving her a small thrill. Usopp would always escape from the butlers, even Kurahadol! His daily escapes from the villagers had learned him how to!

"That's great Usopp-san!" she cheered, still laughing. He chuckled along, though not so sure why.

"H-hey now, what's so-"

_-knock, knock-_

"Ojou-sama." Kurahadol! "Is everything alright? I'm coming in right now."

Kaya turned back to the window, only to see a shoe disappear in the leaves as the door opened.

"Standing at the window again, Ojou-sama? You know you could catch a cold like that."

"But it's been really warm lately, and isn't fresh air good for one's health?" she timidly said as she was steered back to bed again by the stiff caretaker. Of course she felt awful for lying to him, but sometimes –_just sometimes-_ she knew she shouldn't bother asking him permission. Even _she_ tired from his resolute 'no'.

He seemed to hesitate a bit, but still closed the window after he had put her in bed. "Fresh air is indeed healthy, but it has been very dry lately, and I wouldn't want to risk any allergies with the hay-fever." He slowly walked back to the door, adjusting his glasses as he passed the bed. "Therefore, the window stays closed for today."

"Stingy," she muttered as he opened the door.

"I'm okay with being stingy. No means no."

-_clack_-

As soon as she heard his footsteps disappear down the hall, Kaya shot up from the bed and silently opened the window. Whatever shred of guilt tore through her for the act of disobedience was quickly shot down and thrown out the window at the sight of her dear friend.

"That was a bit close," came as a greeting from the darker-skinned boy, once again sitting on the branch.

She nodded. "I'm sorry if it troubles you, Usopp-san. Kurahadol only means well..."

He shrugged, grinning as he leaned back again. "No problem for a brave warrior of the sea like me!" She smiled back, already relaxing again.

"Mmmmh...So, where was I again?" he murmured thoughtfully.

"You just finished the story, Usopp-san" she said, giggling as his expression turned perplexed.

"I guess I did, didn't I?" he laughed, putting his hands behind his head.

"Say, Usopp-san..." she started.

"Hm?"

"You said you gave your bandana to those chitterbirds, right?"

He grinned. "That I did. A small sacrifice to help those animals."

She smiled back. "You always wear a bandana, don't you?"

He blinked, then looked up, crossing his arms as he hummed thoughtfully.

"I guess I do" he said eventually, still not looking at Kaya. "My hair's a bit unmanageable, but I can't really tie my hair back... A bandana is the next best thing... Perhaps a hat..." He hummed again.

Kaya blinked. She had almost expected a tale of how he had acquired this bandana on a brave voyage long ago, but this contemplative answer was...nice, in a strange way...

For a few seconds more, Usopp just sat there, probably thinking, or remembering. Then he jerked, almost falling off but catching himself just in time. "Oh! There's something I need to do back in the village. Right now. See ya tomorrow, Kaya!" And he was off, jumping off the branch and hooking a rope around it to slide down harmlessly. He ran back to the hedge, turned around once to wave back at her, then disappeared.

She smiled as she watched him go, also closing the blinds after the windows. Usopp had a way of making her feel energized with his stories, but he always came just before she had to take her medicine. As the pale girl picked up the small package, her thoughts drifted back to her storytelling companion.

'_Come to think of it, I've never seen him without his bandana... And his hair _is_ kind of long..._'

She sighed as she settled back in her bed, feeling drowsy. Indeed, the youth's hair was almost as long as hers, perhaps even longer if it had been straight. She gave a small giggle: perhaps he'd even need to comb it more often than her, what with the thick curls and his daily runs around the island! A last thought flitted through her mind before she succumbed to sleep, giving her no chance to think where it came from or why she thought it.

'_Wonder what it feels like..._'


	2. Wolves, Tangles and a Cephalopod Mollusc

_First written: August 12 2011 (or earlier)_  
><em>Resumed: November 17 2012<em>  
><em>Second Part: Wolves, Tangles and a Cephalopod Mollusc<em>

It was a few days later that the thought came drifting back. Her storyteller had just finished telling a wondrous tale, gesticulating animatedly all the while, that made tears run over her cheeks with hardly suppressed laughter. They had just got their breath back, and Kaya was about to ask for another story – or at least a promise to come back soon – when the wind started up.

During the tale it had thrown hair in their faces and leaves from the branches (and made Usopp worried about her health, "Standing in the wind for too long won't do you any good, ya know?"), but now it was ripping past them, causing Kaya to yelp and grab the frame of the window she was suddenly pushed against. A surprised exclamation drew her eyes open and up, right to a thick mop of long dark curls whipping violently in the sudden gust.

She stared a bit before a distant thought came to her: the wind must've ripped Usopp's bandana off. Then a bit more wispy: _'He looks so mature like this…'_

Dark eyes swivelled into her vision, replacing the wild curls with a slightly wild look.

"Sorry Kaya gotta go see ya tomorrow!"

And he was gone, his descent so sudden and run so swift that he was halfway through the garden by the time Kaya blinked. She looked after those dark curls until they were gone, stared just a second longer, and closed her window. Outside she heard all the staff rushing about, yelling about "that damn brat again, what's he doing in the garden _this time?!_", and slipped back into bed, pulling the covers far over her head.

Usopp's tale was particularly humorous today, and the wind had finally shocked her body into its fevered state again. Why else would her face burn like that? She was sick constantly; she knows the difference between fever and blush...

Really...

-I am a page break-

The next day found Kaya in her bed, indeed with a slight fever. Most of it had passed already, which was fortunate: she wouldn't want to make Usopp worried again (she didn't get enough rest, she shouldn't stand by the window so much, she was paler than usual, was she eating enough? Honestly, the only time she didn't hear his worries was when he called her 'weak as usual'). She loved his stories too much for her state of health to interrupt the best time of the day.

'Still,' she thought, 'he's later than he usually is. Did he see my red face yesterday and think a tale by the window would worsen the fever?'

Her cheeks flared up at the thought, almost like they were emphasising her state.

'He said he would come, though. He always comes by, even if he leaves right after because I wouldn't be healthy enough...'

Around 5pm, way past his usual time of arrival, the small _k-chink_ of stone against glass came. She hurried into a morning-jacket (just in case Usopp thought she looked too cold and that she needed more rest, can't have that after waiting for so long) and opened the window with a greeting forming on her lips (along with reassurances that yes, still a slight fever but no, she didn't feel unwell, please stay? Tell a story? Please?). All the words fell dead when she caught sight of him on his usual branch.

He was in quite a state: dirt on his skin, grass-stains on his clothes and leaves and twigs, even several cobwebs, stuck every other free spot. His bandana was torn askew, little more than a useless rag tied around one ear and some dirty curls now. On top of that all, small scratches and bruises bloomed on his arms, wrists, hands, ankles, face, neck... Every uncovered part of his body and then some, really.

"Usopp-san! What happened to you?"

How she had noticed it all within a glance of a second, she'd never know, but when she finally looked up, he was grinning like no tomorrow. It silenced all the worries she was about to give voice to for just a moment, long enough for Usopp to grin wider.

"Sorry I'm late, but my great army needed special training in the woods today!"

Once again, she was too stunned to ask more than a: "Special training?"

He nodded sagely, moving to sit in a way that Kaya knew to be his 'I am about to begin a wondrous tale and amaze you with my words'-position. She eagerly listened, despite her lingering worries.

"When my bandana flew off yesterday, I was reminded of the time I was attacked by a very dangerous tribe that would blow down whole villages with just a sigh to steal all the food and valuables right out of the houses!"

"Really?" Another sage nod.

"It had been a terrible fight back then, so I wanted to prepare my followers: should they meet a tribe as fearsome as the Puffle-wolves, they'll come out unscathed thanks to the great training I gave them today!"

He acted so at ease with his dishevelled state that Kaya decided to ignore it as long as it didn't bother him either. Before she could ask for more tales about the Puffle-wolves (because really, how would Usopp have fought a tribe that could just blow him away?), a loud rumble resounded in the garden, followed by an ear-splitting crack soon after.

To be quite honest, Syrup-village had never had problems with bad weather before. The hard wind yesterday had been an exception, and except for a few summer-storms late at night, there had never been anything sudden or dangerous. _This, _however, was both very sudden and far too close for comfort.

It seemed as if the air turned black as soon as the ringing in their ears had stopped. They barely had time to blink before the dark clouds split open and pelted the poor boy in the tree with rain so thick Kaya could barely see her storyteller - who was just an arm's reach away. For not the first time, Kaya was a bit worried about her friend's safety, though it was a first that she was more worried about the anger of nature than the anger of either villagers or staff. She couldn't possibly allow her dear friend to walk all the way back to that lonely hut in this awful weather.

More rumbles and cracks rang in her ears, hitting too close to her home, and she decided. Reaching out, she quickly took hold of Usopp's arm, dragging him inside despite his protests. She was too weak to force him, of course, but Usopp didn't fight at all. Perhaps he didn't want her leaning out of her window for too long?

She wouldn't have let go of his cold-skinned arm, anyway. One sick friend was more than enough between the two of them.

Once he had hopped inside, she hurried to close the window, aided by her friend when the wind proved too strong. They had barely closed it when she heard hurried footsteps in the hall. If they came in here now, her friend would be sent outside after all!

"Hide!" she whispered, pulling off her robe and slipping under her covers. Usopp had yelped and turned around when she unfastened her robe, but now he was frantically moving about - though quite silent when doing so. As she turned on her side to face away from the door (and consequently turning to watch Usopp as she did so), he pushed a vase from one of the tables close to the window, creating some racket and a puddle just under the window, but not breaking the pottery. Soon after, the steps in the hall became faster and louder, coming closer, and Usopp hurried to crawl beneath her bed. He was lucky it was a regularly cleaned spot (and for the first time, she was almost thankful for her sickness) and hidden from any view due to the heavy blankets covering her.

"Ojou-sama!" was all the warning they got before the door opened. Just in time for Usopp to pull in his foot and drape the sheets in a way that looked normal. Kaya turned, rising to her elbows as Kurahadol looked around her room with narrowed eyes. He had all reason to be suspicious, of course: she almost never made quite so much noise, and the puddle beneath the window did look a bit suspicious, but when he walked closer and saw the fallen vase, he merely sighed.

"Ojou-sama, I really must insist that you be careful when I'm not around."

"The storm just startled me, Kurahadol." It almost pained her to lie to her faithful servant, but it would hurt her more if Usopp was sent away now. Still, her voice shuddered when she spoke, and she couldn't look Kurahadol in the eyes. "I didn't want to disturb you for something silly like that."

Her butler's strict brow relaxed just a little bit in his stone face, grabbing a small towel to clean up the puddles. "Even if it is a small matter, call someone." He brought her a glass of water when he had hurriedly cleared the floor from water. Cleaning was not his in his duties, after all. "Please try to rest. The storm will pass soon." Then he left.

For a few moments, it was quiet. Then the covers to her right rustled, and Usopp peeked from beneath the bed. He looked very relieved.

"That was close." She agreed. Never before had she felt so nervous. Usopp silently crawled out of his hiding spot while Kaya picked up another towel; though she had pulled him inside very soon after the rain started, he looked soaked to the bone. "Here. I can say I dried the windowsill if anybody asks about a wet towel."

"Thanks." He pulled the more-rag-than-bandana off of his head, stuffing it in his pocket. Curly strips of hair fell from behind his ear into his face, and Kaya felt a wave of heat rush over her face and neck. She must've been exposed to the rain for a tad too long. "You really saved me there before..." he trailed of when he rubbed the towel over his head - and stopped abruptly with a small jerk of his shoulders. "Agh! What-"

Twigs. Twigs and leaves and blades of grass and even those few ripped and now sodden cobwebs. They were still there in his water-soaked hair, despite the violent shower he'd had. It reminded Kaya very much of a dirty and lost little puppy, especially when he pulled that puzzled and slightly sad face at his dishevelled state. She giggled slightly as he hurriedly patted down his arms and draped the towel around his neck to stop most of the other drops from falling. Then he started attacking the debris in his curls.

"Stupid little... Ow!" To say the twigs looked determined to stay was almost an understatement, twisted and tightly knotted in his curls as they were. Usopp winced with every tug on the stuff, trying to pull the knots apart, but only pulling on his own hair in the end.

For a little while, Kaya thought it amusing: he pulled such strange faces, and all that rubbish in his hair completed the picture. After that, though, she felt bad for her friend: he just couldn't see how the twigs were stuck in his hair, and the thick mop looked ready to apply for the role of violently clingy octopus so tightly was it curled around all of nature's gifts.

"Here." She gently pulled his hands from his hair, guiding him to the small vanity in the corner of her room. He followed with a slightly puzzled look. "What are you- Ah, you don't really have to, Kaya, I'll just-"

That wouldn't do. She pulled on his shoulder. "Please sit down, Usopp-kun. You can't see or reach all of the things in your hair, anyway."

As soon as he sat down, she grabbed a small brush and went to stand behind him, trying to decide where to start

"Usopp-san?"

"Hm?" He looked vaguely uncomfortable.

"Didn't you say you trained your crew today? Against... Wolves?" Such big tangles... She'd have to remove the twigs first, before even considering using the brush.

He instantly cheered, though he had to restrain himself from being too loud while in his element. "Oh! Yes, I decided my followers needed special training, in case they would ever encounter the cunning tribe of the Puffle-wolves!"

Hm..." He had such a thick mop of hair. It curled pleasantly against her fingers where she was nimbly undoing the knots, despite the dampness. "How does one defend themselves from being blown away, Usopp-san?"

And so the two continued all afternoon. Usopp was cheerfully telling his tale - though he had to reign himself in at times, no need to upset the staff - while Kaya untangled his hair, gently removing all debris and brushing it with both fingers and brush. She took her time; Usopp's tale was entertaining and pleasantly long, she was in no hurry at all. Moreover, thick and curled as his hair was, she'd need to double-check every strand on knots and debris, right?

"...and that's how I found out the only way to defend yourself from a Puffle-wolf,' I said to my followers. You should have seen them, Kaya; they were all amazed by my intelligence! They cheered and demanded I train them right away, and I couldn't leave them alone after that, could I?" he said with a grin. She nodded, still smiling from the funny parts. He met her eyes with that grin still on his lips, but then he sobered. "It's because of them that I was so late this afternoon. If it weren't for the training, I would've come earlier. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not, Usopp-san." There, the last big knot was undone. Kaya picked up the brush again and combed it gently through all his curls, running her fingers through it to check for other hidden tangles.

This was really pleasant. She almost never got to do something for Usopp, strict as Kurahadol was. Now it felt like she was helping him, even though it was only untangling his hair.

He sighed, leaning back a bit as she continued moving the brush through the dark waves. "This is kind of nice..."

Somehow, she felt a warm feeling spread through her body. It made her smile just a bit. "I'm glad I could help you. You're always cheering me up, and I never get to repay you for it."

"You don't need to." Suddenly, she was looking at his up-side-down smile, hair gathering in her fingers where his head leaned back. "That's what friends are for."

So very nice, her storyteller! It made her blush slightly, but it didn't stop the smile from spreading as she looked away.

"Oh, the rain's stopped." Outside the sun shone a bright orange above the horizon, casting long shadows on the ground. Had it really been so long since the storm started?

Usopp sighed again. "I think I should go now. I don't want to find out what your guys would do if they find me in your room." He shuddered. "They'd surely kill me..."

"They're not so bad..." Kaya protested slightly, knowing how hard they were on her friend. They just wanted to protect her, though he was only coming by to tell her stories...

"Well I'm the one getting chased, so you'll surely forgive me if I want to avoid contact at all costs, right?" He grinned as he walked to the window, peering out before opening it and jumping on the sill. "I promise to come earlier tomorrow, all right?" She nodded. He turned, looking ready to go, but stopping himself at the last moment. Was that a flash of red she saw? "Oh, and...thanks, for the...help, with my hair." Then he jumped out, landing on his branch. "See ya, Kaya!"

Gone, almost as fast as yesterday. She closed the window and slipped under her covers with a smile. Her cheek felt warm against the pillow, but that was alright. She had finally done something nice for her friend.

**A/N:** _I'M SOOOOOO SORRY!_ I know I don't have many follows or readers or even random people reading the story for this, but still, _it shouldn't have taken so long to write the second part!_ D: ;_;

As you could probably see, I started this moderately soon after finishing the first part, but I just _couldn't- _AGH! This story somehow gave me writer's block. I don't know, perhaps it's because we don't know a lot about Kaya (which I think is a crying shame, but hey) or something.

Oh well, at least I have some ideas for the next part. :D

On the other hand, how to make a _chapter_ from those small ideas... D:

Perhaps I'll first take a look at the first chapter... I noticed my writing style has changed a bit since...several years ago... _I'M SOOOOO SORRY! _D: ;_;

On further notice: yes, I'm very proud of the "cover", and yes, I made it myself. :D


	3. Treasures Small and Inked

AN: So incredibly sorry- AGAIN! D:

I'll spare you the stupid reasons and /excusions/ (dear lord how tired was I last night?) : I'm lazy and I'm a bit 'out' of the OnePiece-fandom right now, what with the Hobbit and the resurrected Sherlock-fandom. _

Anyway, june16 at 2:50am I couldn't sleep and I decided to reread my old stories, contemplating whether to upload the WIP's I've got written out already, when I saw BB&H, and felt guilty enough to start writing again. Stopped around 3:26 because the sleeping-pill started working. Wrote another paragraph at 10:22pm, lost inspiration again and then picked it up again when I couldn't sleep last night. So, june23 at 4:45am I wrote the rest.

I hope you forgive me enough to tell me what you think of the chapter below. I know it's a bit short, but it's all I could produce now. It also doesn't really fit with the initial idea I had for this story (what in the world does Kaya make me write, when did she take over my hand and brain, what, when?). And it's in a style I've never tried before, I'm kind of nervous... ._.

* * *

><p><em>"Yo, you're looking weak as usual."<em>

She didn't always get letters from suitor's (when she got healthier, after Usopp left) nor were the packages always filled with new books she needed to study.

_"...was how large its droppings were. I thought it was land so I docked and..."_

Every once in a while (almost always too long after the last), she'd receive a nicely penned letter, sometimes with a small package of foreign treats, or a few trinkets, of even a painting - small, but always made with stunning details. When they were coloured, they were in breathtaking hues, when monochrome, the shadows were amazing.

_"...so I took my sling and shot him right between the eyes! He didn't even have time to think of drawing his swords!..."_

While Kaya took cheer from every little gift she received, she treasured only those from her friend who was always traveling farther away from the island she lived on. All his paintings, drawings and small objects got nice places - on the walls, on tables, on chests of drawers, on her nightstand, just about everywhere in sight. The smallest, nicest drawings were even stuck on the edge of her vanity-mirror. The treats he sent - delicate candies and dried fruits and a few times even some tangerines - she enjoyed and savoured as long as she could, always saving them for special moments (when she missed her storyteller more than usual).

_"...and the Merry shot right up in the air! I know you probably don't believe what I wrote, but we __flew__, straight up into the cloud!..."_

There was always a letter, though. Sometimes several, if he had to bundle a few together (the News Coo couldn't visit travelings ships regularly, after all, if they even took the letters to begin with). And every letter started with "Dear Kaya, I'm sorry I haven't written for a long time." Always, even if she got a letter within a month after the last (the fastest sent letter was eight days after the last, even if it was only a hasty note because he forgot one of the candies). That he would think of the time between the letters as long, no matter the length, made something warm blossom in Kaya's chest. (It also eased the knot of longing that she wasn't the only one thinking the time passed too slowly).

_"...terrible has happened. Perhaps you've read it in the papers: Luffy's brother Portgas D. Ace died at Marineford. No one of the crew was with Luffy then, and I still don't like Kuma for that a bit. But the papers right after, with Luffy's picture, has a (surprising) hidden message in it. Honestly, I'd never expected something so clever from..."_

At first, she had kept the letters bound with a ribbon in her drawer. When that place became too small, Merry had brought her a small box that fit underneath her bed (still spotless, like it had been that rainy day). When she had too many letters for that, she had marched straight to the carpenter and (politely) demanded he maker her a chest large enough to use as a bench at the foot of her bed. Right now it fit all her letters and several of the presents, but she had no doubt that it would keep filling with letters. Perhaps she'd even need a second chest for the presents.

_"...Heraclesun's training is pretty tough, but I'm already developing Green Pop of my own. I'm slowly getting stronger, which is fortunate because who needs a weak crewmember, right?..."_

"Ojou-sama?" Merry opened the door. "Your studies begin soon, Ojou-sama. We'd best be on our way."

"Yes, Merry, right after this letter." Ah, so that's why she was so cheerful at breakfast. He smiled and closed the door with a soft "Of course, I'll be right in the hall."

_"...I'm still sorry that we had to burn Merry down, but we all heard her voice thank us for the time we had. She was a great ship, the best gift I've ever had, even if it was for the entire crew. When you gave Merry to us, you gave me a chance to fulfill my dream, Kaya. Never doubt that I cherished Merry dearly..."_

Kaya was both glad and saddened that she couldn't write back (he travelled way too infrequently for that). She could never aks more about his adventures, more about his friends and the exciting places they visited and crossed. She couldn't ask Usopp about how he was feeling that day, or what great things he had done to help, or how he had managed such an amazing feat. Yet she also couldn't bore him with her studies or the stories from the village, where nothing happened - except his old crew getting up to mischief again. She didn't have to worry about how to start a letter or how to end it, or whether she wrote too much or not enough.

_"Don't forget! I'll come back with all my outrageous stories, and they'll all be real this time! Usopp won't lie about his deeds anymore, because he'll never have to anymore!"_

She's happy enough whenever she sees his handwriting between the rest of the post agian.

(and perhaps she won't admit it yet, but she can't stop the warmth from spreading when she reads the last words of his letters. What they are? Well...)

_"Love, Usopp"_


End file.
